Global experts in Beijing explore strategies to realize low-carbon agrifood systems

About 800 interdisciplinary experts from China and around the world convened in Beijing on Friday at the 2024 World Agrifood Innovation Conference (WAFI 2024), advocating a low-carbon transition in agrifood systems through sci-tech innovation to address climate change.

The conference, themed "Climate Change and Agrifood Systems Transformation," highlights the urgent need for innovation in the agricultural sector.

Experts at the conference acknowledged the numerous challenges facing agrifood system transformation and the need for global collaboration to share experiences and results through ongoing dialogue.

"One of the major highlights of the conference is multidisciplinary [observations]. Entrepreneurs and scientists are all on one platform. What we particularly emphasize is the dialogue among scientists, entrepreneurs, and investors, which is very crucial. How can a scientist's research results be transformed into productivity? This transformation necessitates industrialization, wherein businesses must leverage their technological innovations," said Fu Wenge, director of the MBA Education Center, at China Agricultural University.

During the conference, scientists, educators, entrepreneurs and investors from over 70 countries and regions will discuss various topics including smart agriculture, AI-driven breeding, transformations in livestock and aquatic food systems, genetic resources and germplasm innovation, as well as food nutrition and security.

David Nabarro, a World Food Prize laureate, highlighted that achieving sustainable agriculture requires not only national policy development but also international cooperation across industries, disciplines and stakeholders.

"This conference is about finding ways that innovation can help agriculture and food in China and beyond meet the needs that we're going to see now and in the decades to come. Well, this is a country that contains some of the world's brightest scientists who not only are good at doing the science, but also applying it and sharing it with others," said Nabarro.

Alongside the gathering of experts, the event is hosting the 2024 World AgriFood Technology Expo, showcasing cutting-edge achievements, advanced technologies, advanced models, high-quality projects, and innovative products in the global agricultural sector.

Initiated last year, WAFI aims to serve as a world-class platform for advancing global agrifood innovation. The conference is co-organized by the local government of Pinggu District of Beijing, the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, China Agricultural University and the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

Global experts in Beijing explore strategies to realize low-carbon agrifood systems

China urged the European Union (EU) to be clearly aware of the harm of imposing additional tariffs, as it will not solve any problems, said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning at a press briefing in Beijing on Friday.

European Council President Charles Michel said on Friday at the ASEAN summit that China must adapt its behavior to solve the escalating trade row with Europe.

When asked to respond to Michel's statements, Mao said that on the economic and trade disputes between China and the EU, China made clear its position more than once.

"The EU needs to see clearly that higher tariffs solve no problem and will only undermine the EU’s business environment, weaken Chinese companies’ confidence in investment and cooperation in Europe, reduce the competitiveness of the EU’s relevant industry, and destabilize global industrial and supply chains. This will backfire and do no one good. We urge the EU to take concrete actions and work with China to find solutions through consultation and avoid further escalation of the trade frictions," she said.

EU needs to see clearly higher tariffs solve no problem: spokeswoman